Census: Buhari Approves Postponement Till Next Administration

The Nigerian President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has granted approval for the rescheduling of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

Originally slated to take place from May 3 to May 7, 2023, the date for the census will now be decided by the incoming administration.

The President conveyed this information in a meeting held on Friday, April 28, 2023, with members of the Federal Executive Council, the Chairman of the National Population Commission, Nasir Isa-Kwarra, and his team, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The official statement announcing the decision was released by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Saturday, April 29, 2023.

In arriving at the decision to postpone the census, the statement says, “the meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last census, to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people.”

According to Lai Mohammed, President Buhari expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the preparation and implementation of the census, which was originally scheduled for May 3-7, 2023, and lauded the National Population Commission (NPC) for its accurate and reliable methodology, despite the postponement.

“The President noted that with the completion of the Enumeration Area Demarcation of the country, conduct of first and second pre-tests, the recruitment and training of ad hoc workers, procurement of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and ICT infrastructures, appreciable progress has been made in the implementation of the 2023 Population and Housing Census.

“He also commended the methodology being put in place by the Commission to conduct accurate and reliable Census, especially the massive deployment of technology that is capable of delivering world class Census and laying a sustainable basis for future censuses.”

The statement added, “The President further directed the Commission to continue with preparations for the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census in order to sustain the gains already recorded and provide the basis for the incoming administration to consolidate these achievements.”

“The meeting was attended by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Mr Clem Agba and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha,” the statement concluded.

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